Generator is draining the house battery when running

[jbickbelgrade]

A few months ago i tried to charge my battery by using the generator. I noticed instead of charging the battery, which it done in the past, now it is draining the battery. This happened shortly after I tried to use the RV receptacle to power something that apparently needed to much electricity. resetting the circuit breaker inside the RV does not seem to work. Is there something else I could try? I was not hooked up to shore power at the time. (Dry Camping). The battery charging while running the RV and hooked up to shore power but not when using the generator

[Kevin Cooper]

Originally Posted by jbickbelgrade

A few months ago i tried to charge my battery by using the generator. I noticed instead of charging the battery, which it done in the past, now it is draining the battery. This happened shortly after I tried to use the RV receptacle to power something that apparently needed to much electricity. resetting the circuit breaker inside the RV does not seem to work. Is there something else I could try? I was not hooked up to shore power at the time. (Dry Camping). The battery charging while running the RV and hooked up to shore power but not when using the generator

Welcome to the forum!
Since you gave no specific information like generator make and model, 30 or 50 amp, what exactly you did to cause the issue, and specifically where you tested things.
Is it factory generator, or aftermarket portable? Year and model of your RV?
Have you checked the circuit breaker on the generator if factory? Does everything 120 volt work on shore power? What works at 120 volts on generator?
SWAG’s
Could be inline fuses or inline resettable circuit breakers, battery disconnect ON?
You need to find and test your automatic transfer switch. This is a 30 amp. https://a.co/d/1nuoj4C This is a 50 amp. https://a.co/d/6zLNxR0
It is supposed to default to generator I believe, but I may be wrong.
So please give as much information as you can for quicker correct responses.

[jbickbelgrade]

It is an Onan 2800 that came with the Jayco Swift, which is about a year old. The RV runs on 30 amp. Everything works on shore power. Everything stopped working temporarily when I tried to use the outlet to connect to a pump that blows up a bed mattress. I looked for a circuit breaker on the generator but could not see one in plain sight. That is what information I have read indicates to do. Maybe I will have to take another look at the generator. A little hard to get to but I will take another look.

[Grumpy]

The batteries are directly charged by the converter whether on shore power or generator.

Right from the owner's manual. The circuit breaker is on the right side of the start stop switch on the geny.

[jbickbelgrade]

I found the reset switch and tried to charge the battery with the generator. The initial V was 12.9 and when I started the generator it went down to 12.7, then after a few minutes it decreased to 12.5, then a few minutes later it went up to 12.7 again then the generator shut off by itself. The generator would just start and stop after that. Don't know what is going on.

[Kevin Cooper]

Originally Posted by jbickbelgrade

I found the reset switch and tried to charge the battery with the generator. The initial V was 12.9 and when I started the generator it went down to 12.7, then after a few minutes it decreased to 12.5, then a few minutes later it went up to 12.7 again then the generator shut off by itself. The generator would just start and stop after that. Don't know what is going on.

Do you have lithium battery for coach? So, you say the converter charges the battery just fine on shore power, but not on generator. Check the voltage coming from the generator and the 120 volt side of the electrical panel. They should be the same. If they are not, then you need to go to the automatic transfer switch. That would be the only thing left that I can think of.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cooper

... then you need to go to the automatic transfer switch.

I'm guessing the ATS also.

[Grumpy]

What code are you getting when the geny shuts off? The red light should be flashing the sequence.

[jbickbelgrade]

There is no code. I have a Jayco Swift class B RV and most of the controls, including the generator are displayed on what is called a Firefly system on the wall. It does not register a fault. I primed the generator and waited a few hours and at least for now it seems to start and run. Haven't tried to see if it is charging the batteries or not. Just relieved the generator started and ran. I called the dealership, Pete's RV in Windsor CT. and was told they would not touch it if the generator did not run and that I would have to find a cummings (onan) generator place to work on the generator to get it running before they would look at it to assess why it does not charge the generator. I think the issue with the generator not starting was in the gas line. When it stopped working the gas tank was at 1/4 full. I read the generator would not run when the tank is at level so I filled it up and the problem with the generator started. Kind of overwhelming for someone that is not mechanically inclined. Will wait a few days to see if there are any changes to the charging issue. If not at least the dealer will now look at it.